Dirigible headlight



Aqg. 18, 1936.

N. s. GILBERT ET AL DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT Filed Feb. 21, 1935 Y INVENTOR. f/aZ (5: @Z fi/ZW Patented Aug. 18, 1936 y a I 2,051,252

DIRIGIBLE HEADLIGHT Neil S, Gilbert, Springfield, Mass and William Gilbert, Waterbury, Vt.

Application February 21, 1935, Serial No. 7,520..

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in lighting apparatus and is directed more particularly to improvements in dirigible headlight apparatus for automobiles and the like.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to the provision of means whereby an automobile headlight is oscillated accordingly as the steering mechanism is operated. As a special feature of our invention, means is provided to connect and disconnect the novel-oscillating means from the headlights.

Various other novel features and advantages of this invention will be hereinafter more fully referred to in connection with the following de-' scription of the present preferred form thereof and reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein: V r

Fig. 1 is a partial elevational view of the front end of an automobile having the novel features of the invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the stem of the headlight and certain operating, mechanism;

,Fig. 3 is afragmentary side elevational view ofthe' steering'column of an automobile to explain certain features of the invention; 7

Fig. 4. is a small scale inverted plan view of thestem of the headlight; and

Fig.5 is a rear end elevational view of a part of the headlight stem shown in Fig. 2. p

Referring nowitothe drawing more in detail the'invention will be fully described.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a forward end portion of an automobile in certain detail and will facilitate the understanding of the novel features of this invention. The radiator, hood, and cowl of an automobile are represented at 2, 4 and 6 While the side frame is indicated by 8. A fender or mud-guard 9 is associated with the forward end of the frame (which is shown cut away for clearness) and a steering column l0, having a steering wheel l2 as shown, extends upwardly from a gear box or the like I4,

The part I4 is operatively connected to a swinging arm or lever l6. As the steering wheel I2 is moved or rotated in one direction or the other the column I0 is rotated and, by means of the mechanism formed and contained in the box I, the lever I6 is swung back and forth.

The lever member [6 is usually connected, as by a link I8, to the wheel associated with the forward part of the frame. However, the wheel together with the axle and the mechanism connected to the link I8 are not a part of this invention and are not therefore shown.

The apparatus of the present invention may be actuated by many various mechanisms and for that purpose the lever or arm 16 is utilized and may be referred to asthe actuator member.

A- headlight is shownatI-I and, of course, there will be one of said headlights on either side of the car at the forward end. Since they are preferably substantially alike in construction, however, only one is herein described.

The headlight H has astem such as 22- which is arranged to'berotatable in some suitable means a such as abracket 24 which may be associated with the fender 9. The stem 22' extends through the bracket 24 and an oscillator 26 is oscillatable thereon. A support 28 may be associated with the lower end of the shaft to support the member 26 and facilitate. the free rotation thereof.

A lug such as 30 extends outwardly from the part 26and arod ing through the lug Wand-another end through the actuator It. This rod 32 serves asa connecsuch as '32 has. an end extendtion between the memberi26 and the arm l6 so that the former is. oscillated by swinging movements of thelatter.

According'to this invention, it is desired to connect and disconnectgthe :part 26 from the stem 22 of the headlight so that ,at the will, of the operator the headlight may be oscillated by the steering mechanism. To accomplish this the following'novel mechanism is provided.

The lower end ofthestem 22 is grooved to receive a lever such as 4llwhichis pivoted at .42",

and has a lower free end 44 and an upper end portion which is adapted to abut a shoulder 46. A spring 48 is preferably secured in the groove in such a way that its upper end bears on the lever and tends to urge its upper end portion outwardly and its lower end inwardly.

A groove 50 is provided in the side of the member 26 and this receives the lower end 44 of lever 40. With this part 44 in the groove 50 it will be apparent that as the part 26 is oscillated, the stem 22 and therefore the headlight H will be oscillated.

When the part 40 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the part 26 may oscillate without oscillating the stem.

A guide or bracket 52 is provided which may have a flange 54 for securing to the fender. A member 56 is slidable therein and has on its outer end a rotatable roll 58. A spring 60 is disposed within the member 52 which is under tension to urge the member 56 forwardly so that the roll 58 is caused to yieldingly bear on the stem or on the lever 40.

{is disposed rearwardly of the bracket. A pull rod in the form of a wire 64 has to this tail-piece 62. a

A clamp I6Jmay be associated with the steer-' ing column and this has a boss 68' thereon in which is slidable a rod 1 0. The other end of the 1 I pull rod 64 is connected'to the rod 10 as shown.

A knob :14 is] preferably provided on the'upper end of the rod' 10 and this may be; engaged by the fingers so that the rods may be pulled against the action'of spring '60 and thereby move "the roll' 58 away from the lever 40 so thatmthe lowerend thereof is urged into the notch'fof the member 26; V A pin Ii-carried by the rod'lfl, is receivable in a slot asshown, With this arrangement,

' Q when the rod is pulled outwardly to carry'the pin Y axis of'rotation the k n ob' 14 is-grasped to pull i upon" the rneinberftfiiand remove the ro iaway from the'lever. 5 t 1 I f. f V 7' 1 V Withtheflower end ,of-thelever engaged in the slot, the ste'm rotateswith the member; 26 and when it is desired to'disconnect the actuating 'means from the headlight" stem, the l m'obfM -is 7 positionedso thatj'the spring will urge the"part 56 carrying the rollerforwardly In case thele'verf is not at" the time directly in front o f 'the" ,roller, the roller will ride o'n the stem. as it'is I oscillated butwhen the stem is positioned so 7 thatthe roller engages the lever the" spring 60 causesthe lever to' be jswu'ngs o that it's'l'ower 'end'leaves'the notch or groove in the part 26. Y v Ifromithe foregoing it will'beobserved that not only is it possible to rotate'the headlight accord-L ingl'y 'as the steering mechanism is operated but it is'possiblet'o' connect and disconnect theactue v ating mechanism fromithe headlight as may be 16 from out of the slot, the rod may berotatedslightly so that the pin will rest on the upp sideof thevboss ligand in that way: hold theroll g '58- out of -engagementgwith the lever 40. 'Then,

ofcoursqthe knob :14 and rod Ill may be again rotated to bring the pin into register with its $101; in thelboss; j I 'With'the parts in'the positionshown in Fig; 2, the imemberjZG is oscillatedja'ccordingly as *the' steering member l6 'i'sswung b gckgand forth and in this 'positionfof the parts the headlight H is directed I straight ahead. T when it is desired to l bring: about movementsfof the headlighton its desired by the o zverator, V

a ,7 "2,051,252 1-. Q A tail piece 62 extends from the part 56 and a one end connected 7 a and scope of the invention. a i V 7 What is desired to claim and secure by Letters 7 Patent of theUnited States is:

v on said stem member as it oscillates adapted to headlight, it will be apparent that a pair of headlights may be provided as is usual in automobile' constructions. With this arrangement .7 a the headlight shownimay operate the headlight, 5 n V on the other side of the car and to facilitate this" there is shown in Fig. ll an arm BO extending from the stem 22 which is connected to one endof a link 82 which may have its other .end similarly connected to said other headlight.

'While we have described the invention ingreat' detail and with respect to a preferred form,

thereof, it is not desired'to be limited thereto since many'changes and modificationsinaybe' 'made therein without departing fromthe spirit :The combination with an'automobile having a steering member movable back and forth and a -drivers compartment of lighting apparatus 7 comprising; a support, a bracket member associ'-f ated with and in a fixedpos'ition relative to said support,'a headlight having fa stem member oscillatable relative to "said support, a member 5 oscillatable on' said stem member. and provided 7 with a notch therein, a swinging lockr lever pivoted to said stem'fmember'having a" lockin'g' e'nd v part which is receivable in said notch offth'e oscillatable membena'spring actingon said lever urging said locking end 'part' thereof into-"said; notch when the oscillatable member an'd stem are in a certain relative position'to operatively conne'jct said nscillatable 'and stem 7 members;

connections between saidoscillatable and steeri ring members whereby the oscillatable m'ernb er is oscillated by the steering meinberfaspringpressed actuating member slidable in 'sa'id bracket having a rotatable r u'on its forward end forl yieldingly bearingfon said'locklever and; rolling swing said le'ver andjmovelsaid locking p art out {of said notch" and disconnect ,said'st'em-land;

oscillator member, fand manually engageable means connected to saidactuatinglmeinber and extending intosaid compartment arranged to V move said'actuating 1 member rearwardly and move said roll out of engagementfwith.said loclg lever.

NEIL :s; GILBERT. #2 50 q 'W'WILLIAMIN. I BERT. a e 

